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The children were talking in class about the birth of Jesus. What did the angels look like? How many animals were in the stable?

The only negative character in the story was the landlord of the inn. “He was mean!” a boy said.

Really? I wondered why the world’s most beautiful story had to have a villain. Who was the innkeeper? Man or woman? St Luke doesn’t tell us. Were Joseph and Mary actually turned away?

Inn is probably a respectable name for what would have been a largish one-roomed dwelling where travellers could spread some straw on the floor to sleep after a surfeit of wine.

This was census time, so the place would be crowded and noisy, people elbow to elbow on the floor and rooftop. It was no place for a young woman about to give birth.

What we understand to be a stable was probably a cave or mud-brick shelter for the innkeeper’s animals, although there is no mention of animals in scripture. The ox and the ass were medieval additions.

It’s the word “manger,” an animal feeding place, that suggests there could have been a donkey, maybe a goat and a few sheep. If so, they would probably have been cleared out to make room for Mary and Joseph.

So, was the innkeeper mean or compassionate?

And why do we want to judge the Christmas story this way?

I’m still doing it. The advertising started in November and I complained about the commercial hijacking of Christmas. For me, the sprigs of holly and tinsel represented tension, greed and credit card debt.

Behind the beard, Santa Claus was bogus, the agent for profit on one hand, poverty and waste on the other.

I had become sour about what I called the secularisation of Christmas, although the word “secular” also felt false. I didn’t see families coming together, holidays planned.

I didn’t count the children who were looking at the horizon with shining eyes, or the number of Christmas cakes fragrant in ovens. It didn’t occur to me that most of those presents were being chosen with love.

Then I heard that boy say the innkeeper was mean. Yep. That went home. It wasn’t the innkeeper who was mean, it was me.

I was the grumpy one who had no room in the inn of my thinking. Floor and roof were covered with negative thoughts, and it was time for me to go to the stable.

So, Terry and I will celebrate Christmas as we’ve always done. I’ll sing carols in church and we’ll kneel before the infant who has claimed our lives.

Elsewhere, shops will be busy and smiling staff will be wearing Santa hats or plastic reindeer horns. In homes, children get sent to bed so that presents can be wrapped and put under the tree.

Some child will have left out a can of soft drink for Santa. Some dad will be wondering how he’ll wrap his daughter’s first two-wheeler.

Analysis and Comment

For most of my life, scripture has been a part of daily prayer, and yet there is something new every time I read it. This morning, John the Baptizer’s statement about Jesus as “The one who comes after me,” started a long journey of reflection. John, the wild prophet in the wilderness had always known Read more

No one wants to be the innkeeper in a Christmas pageant. You know the one, the door-slamming landlord who turned away Joseph and Mary before they became the Holy Family. Any other role is better that that one. Even wearing the scratchy sheep costume is better or being the rope pull on the flying angel—anything Read more

The hills around Salzburg are alive, we hear, “alive with the sound of music.” Young and old, the people sing and hum and strum. The water in the brooks laughs as it trips and falls downstream. Church chimes sigh with the breeze. This music, we also hear, has been sung for 1,000 years. Maybe. But Read more

As a cradle Catholic, I never thought I’d get a divorce, but I ended up with one earlier this year. Since we came to the decision, I’ve been dreading Christmas — the decorations, the Santa visits, the holiday cards. Christmas seemed all about perfect families and frameable moments, and this year I didn’t want any Read more

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Comments

Jonathan GodfreyMore sloppy reporting on the fees-free policy...
Pity its opponents seem so set on ignoring that it applies to the entire tertiary sector, and means that those attending the Polytechs are getting a years free training instead of racking up the debt.
Another problem with the teacher's claims is that...

Bernadette AvisonWhen the priests, sing the Mass I cringe.
Sorry but I doubt that Jesus when consecrating his body and blood sang.
For me the priest when singing takes away something very precious and he becomes the main figure as in the lead actor in a stage performance.
The focus for me is the elevation "This...

KieranGood point Chris. I am in full support of what you say about such representation. Their voice needs to be heard in conjunction with those in the Church who are in positions to make changes and call to accountability.

DavidAs a lay person who, in the past, was asked to help deal with abuse within the church, because there were no protocols established, I can tell you I think Chris McLoughen has a valid point.
The church needs real reform to heal the abuse crisis. Catholics who have been spiritually hurt must have...